The Most Critical Metric Employee Resource Groups Can Share with HR Teams to Combat the Great Resignation

ERGs, or employee resource groups, are often formed around a shared interest or common goal to which individuals formally or informally belong. The five most popular focus areas for employee resource groups (also sometimes called employee ambassador groups, affinity groups, and business resource groups) are:

1. Women,
2. Race/Ethnicity,
3. LBGTQIA+,
4. Disabilities, and
5. Age Range/Generational.

Other groups, such as remote workers,?working parents, and veteran employees, are also popular.

Why do employees join ERGs? The answer won’t surprise you. ERGs provide team members with exposure to other leaders within the company and members of other cross-functional teams. ERGs are also an excellent?way to work with senior management?while demonstrating your skills and sharing your ideas. It can also help deliver a holistic view of company operations, as team members are exposed to different departments and learn how their role supports others internally. Plus, the networking doesn’t hurt either- you never know where that next contact, connection, project, or even potential career opportunity can be.

Sometimes, underrepresented employees join ERGs because feeling diverse or like a minority in the workplace isn’t always a positive experience. In addition, few might often have their?Imposter Syndrome?heightened in workplace environments, and for them, ERGs offer support and empathy.

ERG members often bond personally because of their common interests; an ERG member might notice if another member is exhibiting an adverse change in attitude or?has expressed dissatisfaction with their current job?more frequently than usual.

Did you know that?employees are most likely to quit their job?after a milestone, such as a big birthday (job hunting increases 12%) or work anniversary (job hunting increases 9%)? Some employees join ERGs to network and identify career opportunities outside of their department, so ERG leadership teams can track when new members join. This is a critical data point and should be shared with HR teams. It’s sometimes the last-ditch effort on the employees’ part to grow professionally within the company. HR teams can combine this data with information about current employees, such as their work anniversary, birthday, or promotion date. They can even combine this data with information about former employees, such as their resignation date, and develop new metrics.

For example, I like to call this metric the “Green Mile”- a critical period between when an employee joins an ERG, and they’re either promoted,?or they resign. Let’s use Stacey and Mark as examples.

Stacey joined the Women’s ERG on July 10, 2021. Her work anniversary is January 1, 2020, and her birthday is on October 23. She was promoted on December 3, 2021.

Stacey’s Green Mile: July 10, 2021 – December 3, 2021 (approx. five months)

Mark joined the Hispanic ERG on November 2, 2019. His work anniversary is May 1, 2019, and his birthday is on January 5. He resigned on January 10, 2021.

Mark’s Green Mile: November 2, 2019 – January 10, 2021 (approx. 15 months)

If a human resources specialist reviewed both Stacey and Mark’s employee files, it might look like Stacey took her career development more seriously than Mark. She was promoted, after all.

But there’s an insight to uncover in these examples. Stacey’s green mile was much shorter than Mark’s. While Stacey joined the Women’s ERG 18 months after her work anniversary, Mark joined sooner- six months after starting the company. This could imply Mark was interested in acquiring networking and professional development skills from the ERG earlier than Stacey- he could have wanted to advance within the company and was looking for ways he could do so, to no avail. More than likely, Mark was less motivated and focused and had expressed dissatisfaction for a much more extended period.

With it?costing virtually nothing?to ensure team members are heard and understood, yet tens of thousands to replace an employee, I’m sure companies would prefer Stacey to walk Green Mile A.

It’s ultimately up to the employer to actively monitor employee morale and provide opportunities for advancement. But let’s face it: ERGs encourage team members to think about their growth and career development- inside and outside of the organization. ERG leadership teams are always looking for ways their group can provide value back to the company. With the median number of years that wage and salary workers stay with their current employer at just?four years, it would benefit human resources teams to view ERGs as an informal partner or stakeholder. The most innovative HR teams would view these groups as a dynamic retention tool.

About the Author: As a working parents and women’s ERG subject matter expert,?Christine Michel Carter?elevates the honest truths of working motherhood. The mom advocate provides burned-out mothers with a space to share their honest stories and magnifies them to improve their health and inspire real social change.